The Demon Lurks
by Siberus
Summary: He has no name, no body, no soul. He walks in the pawsteps of the one who is loved most, yet kills with malicious intent. His eyes are darker than the new moon, yet bluer than the mid-morning sky. Rated T for semi-extreme gore.
1. Prologue

~New BloodClan~

~Leader~

Scorch~ Black tom with blue eyes and a green collar studded with animal teeth.

~Commander~

Tork~ black tom with blue eyes.

~Grunts~

Psycho~ Handsome black tom with white chest.

Blackblood~ Black she-cat with red eyes and a smokey gray back stripe.

Kawaii~ Dark ginger she-cat with hazel eyes and brown paws, tail, and nose.

Fezziwing~ Long-legged brown tom with ginger and black blotches.

~Queens~

Alua~ Heavily scarred white she-cat with gray paws and green eyes. Mother of Ajax (gray tom with black tabby stripes), Sound (pale tabby she-cat with white chest and green eyes), Screech (long-limbed pale tabby tom), and Tiger (dark tabby tom).

~Prologue~

A little black kit sat and licked his paws, they were cracked, bleeding, and infected from harsh training. He was barely three moons.

"Hello, little one, what are you doing so deep in the forest?"

The black kit jumped, then winced as he landed harshly on his paws. "Who's there?" He called.

"I am here, I am there." it replied. The voice was rough, like a moon old sore throat.

The kit looked around, "what's your name? How come you sound funny? Are you sick?"

"A little, I cannot go into the sun, I must stay in the shadows. Um... I don't remember my name."

"Can I see you? It's hard talking into the forest." The kit sat down again and took in a sharp breath as his forepaw scraped a small stone.

"Are you hurt little one? Come here, into the shadows where I can have a look."

The kit stepped under the shade of the elm trees, he was shocked to feel a sudden wave of heaviness under the golden branches. "where are you?"

"Here, come closer to the tree, yes over here."

He blinked, "you're a shadow." He pawed delicately at the trunk, the shade was darker here, it almost made his paw seem like it wasn't there. "Are you dead?"

"No, I am alive, but my body is gone. Look at your paw."

He did as the shadow asked, his paw was black and soft. Like he wasn't hurt at all, he checked his other ones. no pain, no scars. "Thank you mister. What happened to your body?"

"I don't know, but I long to search for it. Alas I am bound to the shadows."

"But there are lots of shadows at night, how come you don't just travel by night?"

"Because there are foxes about here at night. You know that."

"Foxes are scary, do you want me to protect you?" He asked, he tapped on the trunk. "I can go in the sun, I'm not afraid of foxes! I'm being trained to fight them you know."

The shadow shifted a bit, "would you do that for me? No, it's too much to ask."

"I'm asking." He meowed.

"Okay, um.. close your eyes, this may hurt a bit."

The kit closed his eyes, he felt hot and sticky, as if he was on thunderpath in the middle of greenleaf. "You're warm." He said.

"Hush." replied the shadow.

The kit felt cold suddenly, and alone, then a sudden sting in his heart caused him to crumple to the ground. _what's happening? _He called silently.

_**I'm trying to make room little one, you have a lot of heart, there's not much room for mine. I am sorry this hurts young one, it'll be over soon.**_

_What are you doing to me? _The kit screamed in his head. _Why are you inside me?_

**_It is the only way, I am sorry kit. it'll be over very soon I swear!_**

The kit opened his eyes and felt dizzy, the pain suddenly eased and he collapsed to the forest floor.

_**Now your body is mine little kit, forever. Don't worry I'll take good care of it I promise.**_


	2. Where am I? Kits?

_Where am I? Ow, my head hurts. What happend?_ Tork looked around to see where he was, he yawned and pain shot through his skull, it felt wet. He looked into a nearby puddle and saw his head covered with blood. _I must've hit my head and forgot everything. I remember my name, but where I've been-what I've done the past moons... It's all gone._ He noticed a pair of eyes in a clump of ferns to his left shoulder. "Who's there?" He called. Out stepped two black cats, one with a white sort of cross on his chest and the other had piercing blue eyes. The smaller one bore a green and red flecked collar studded with teeth. Tork saw that the red flecks were blood. He took a step back. "What do you want?" He asked.

"We want to know why you're on our territory!" The green-eyed one spoke, he hissed his words with a bloodthirsty tone that made Tork flinch inwardly.

"Shut up!" The smaller one commanded, he glared at the jumpy black and white male and the he was instantly quiet. "I am sorry about that. Psycho can be a bit... sadisticy inclined." The tom was smart.

"My name is..." Tork thought for a moment, it was hard to remember much of anything. "Tork, I think. I'm not sure what I'm doing here though, but I'll take the both of you on if I have to." He flexed his claws. Tork felt sparks pass between Psycho and himself. He narrowed his eyes.

Psycho seemed to want to say something but the leader cut him off. "I have a proposition for you, Tork. See, I saw what you did and I must say, I'm impressed. I want you to join my little 'clan' of fighters. All you have to do is whatever I say. Mostly killing, I should tell you."

_Killing..._ Tork almost said no, then he thought. _I should do it, I could get stronger, strong enough to remember._ Then he felt an unusual urge to kill. He did not feel the need to kill the two males, at least not yet. He wanted to kill their enemies. Then them. He wanted to make them suffer badly. "I'll do it, what is your name?"

"Scorch, but before you do this you must prove your will is strong. Psycho go get _them._" The black tom sat down and draw his tongue over his shoulder, this seemed difficult with his teeth studded collar. Tork watched him for a moment and wondered if he should sit as well. But now that Scorch was his leader, he decided he'll sit when invited to.

Soon Psycho came back with two cats, one was actually a kit. Tork saw her eyes, they were a pretty crystal-like green. and white paws that seemed much too small and dainty for any wild cat. He noticed her child, same eyes but he was more of a dark silver. "Kill them." Scorch said casually, "Kill them anyway you like, I just want them dead."

Tork stared down at them, he felt a sort of belonging to her, he thought he recognized her defiant stare and protective stance. He pried his brain to figure it out. Alas nothing came. He suddenly felt the urge again, an urge to rip her and the tiny kit apart. Tork did so. He started with the kit, quickly killing it as if it were small game. Then he had to wrestle the mother. She tried to avenge the death of her child but taking his life was no easy matter. Tork was quicker and with the ease he used earlier he side-stepped her and kocked her down. He pinched her throat with his paw and choaked her, after awhile he grew tired of the slow death and bent down to sink his fangs into her skin. He shook her vigorously, still clamped over her airway. He stopped when he realized she stopped fighting back. He dropped her and looked back at Scorch. "Content? What do you want me to do now?"

"I want you to be my right paw Tork, you have power that I need."

"I'm listening." Tork now sat down, he felt more powerful than these cats. He licked the blood off his muzzle.

"We're going to accomplish great things Tork, great things indeed. But first you will come with me. Psycho-" He flicked his tail, indicating the bodies "-clean this mess up. It reeks of death."

Psycho glared at Tork, Tork shrugged and followed closely behind Scorch. He looked behind to see the black and white tom dragging away the female. Tork suddenly felt remorseful for her and her kit. He wondered if she had any more than him.

"Right now I want to entrust you with the training of our younger ones." Scorch quickly interrupted Tork's thoughts. "You have shown me you're not afraid to punish kits. A trait that's needed. I have recently recruited a few... They need lots of training. And new names." Scorch stopped and observed Tork briefly again. "I need you to teach the toms to fight and the she-cats to hunt. pair them up accordingly. Psycho will assist you if need be." Scorch pointed with his nose to a crack in a moss covered boulder.

"Come out kits." He commanded, his voice held no trace of warmth.

Tork was shocked, but he held his emotions inside. He spotted five, six, eight kits stumbling out. Each looked half starved and way too young to even start training yet. Tork felt as if he shouldn't be shocked. The tom was, after all, ordered to kill a queen and her son just a few heartbeats ago.

"None of them have names, non of them have parents. Your job is to look after them, make sure they're ready for battle in no less than two seasons. The girls must be able to hunt in two moons time." Scorch explained. He stared at the kits coldly, as if he envied them.

After what seemed like forever, Scorch excused himself and left Tork with the kits by himself.

Tork took a deep breath. "Toms on one side, she-kits on the other." He commanded. He watched as they quickly hurried to opposite sides of him. Five toms, three she-cats.

"What are your names?" He asked, he was shocked to hear the smallest speak first. A little white she-kit.

"Master Scorch said we don't have any." She mewed, "but my mother used to call me Blink.

"Do you like that name?" He asked.

"No, We want new ones." She answered quietly.

Tork blinked twice, he was awestruck by her bravery. "Okay, your new name is Lioness, because you spoke first."

Tork looked each of the kits and watched them in silence for a little. He liked his new job but still wondered why Scorch wanted him to train these kits. And what did that mysterious tom see that made him hold Tork in such high esteem?

Lioness blinked, "I'm not going to be able to become a fighter like Blackblood am I?" She asked.

Tork thought for a moment. "Listen kits. Scorch gave me specific instructions to teach all of you. He told me that the toms are to be taught how to fight and the she-kits are to learn how to hunt. I am sorry but Scorch's word is law. I cannot bend it." He looked at the disappointed Lioness. "Today though I will start by teaching all of you the hunter's crouch and giving you names. The hunter's crouch is well used for both fighters and hunters alike."

"Why do fighters use the hunter's crouch?"

Tork turned and spotted a brown tom, his ears were all ready shredded though he looked to be only four moons. "The hunter's crouch is used to sneak up on prey and on enemies undetected. If you master this technique you have all ready learned a third of your training young ones." Tork swept the girls into the group of toms with his tail. "We're all learning together so we're going to sit together okay?" He nosed each into their own space. "Now crouch down, you want to make sure your hind paws are underneath you and your front paws are not. this increases leap speed when you pounce."

He walked next to each kit, correcting their posture as he weaved his way through each of the kits. He stopped at a young light tabby tom who had perfected the hunter's crouch. He looked the oldest. "What was your name?" he asked.

"I never had one, my mother died giving birth to me." His gaze was fixed ahead.

"Then I shall name you Hunter." He used his tail to stop Hunter's. "Your tail will disturb leaves and bracken that is behind you. This will alert your prey's presence and you will surely lose." He had spoken up so every kit could hear. "Let's start stalking, everyone watch me." Tork crouched down and stalked forward, making no more sound than the warm wind had. He turned around and stalked back.

"You all saw what I did, now it's your turn. Line up and you will each go one at a time, I want smallest to biggest kit, that means Lioness first and Hunter last." Tork waited for the kits to assemble before he started to stalk along with each kit, helping them correct their movement so they were almost as quiet as he was.

Hunter again, needed no help, he had done it perfectly as if Tork was watching himself do it.

"Very good Hunter." Tork said as soon as they were done, "if you don't mind, I would like you to come with me. I must hunt for all you kits, it would be nice to have company with me."

"I had thought that toms are not supposed to hunt." Hunter glared at Tork, he did not want Tork to be here. That was for sure.

"Yes, he did say that. But it's either that or watching the toms while I take the she-cats out for special training." Tork reasoned.

"That that will happen, I don't want to die because you wanted to bend the rules on your first day." Hunter called for the boys and they disappeared inside the cleft.

Lioness tugged on Tork's tail. "Are you really going to take us out on special training?" She asked, the other two females crowded close to her.

"No deary, I need to hunt, so I suppose you can come watch but you must stay quiet and still. if we have extra time before the sun sets I'll let you try out your first lesson on live prey." Tork promised. He rounded up the girls with his tail and lead them closely out of the small clearing on their first hunt.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Kits<em>**

**_Males(Fighters)_**

**_Hunter~ light tabby tom with dark amber eyes. 6 moons old._**

**_**_Nameless~ Brown tom with unusual blue eyes and very shredded ears. 4 moons old._**_**

**_**_**_Nameless~ Black tom with blue eyes, cheerful. 3 moons old._**_**_**

**_**_**_**_Nameless~ Silver and white tabby tom with light silver eyes. roughly 3 moons old._**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Nameless~ Black and white tom with green eyes. 2 moons old._**_**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Females(Huntresses)_**_**_**_**_**

_**_Nameless~ Almost white-cream colored she-cat with dark sandy paws, ear tips, and tail point. vivid green eyes. 5 moons old._**_

_**_**_Nameless~ Ginger she-cat with bright green eyes and black paws. 3 moons old_**_**_

_**_**_Lioness~ Small white she-cat with blue eyes. 1 moon old_**_**_


	3. Blackblood, sweet Blackblood

**_To put it simple I am going in a complete 180 of my original goal. :) this story will most likely become a lot more family oriented but still supernaturally horrible! By the way, if people review more often, I'll finish chapters faster! FANBOYS_**

* * *

><p>Tork woke up to the feeling of tiny teeth on his back and tail, he looked up sleepily and spotted the little black tom. The kit smiled at him cheerfully. "I look like you." He whispered.<p>

"Yes you do, and like Scorch." Tork purred. He watched the little one get off of his own body and go back to the others. _Did I say something wrong? _Tork tried to think. All he had said is that the kit looked like himself and Scorch. _Scorch, that must be it. Do these kits fear him? _

Tork stood, he looked at the little kit. "Come here little one, come back." He cooed. "I did not mean to insult you, you seem very observant, could you tell me about your friends?"

"Not all of us are orphaned." He looked at Tork with eyes that swam and churned with negative emotions. "Some of us were kidnapped. Grasshopper-I mean the one with tattered ears joined BloodClan. He left his parents when Scorch came."

"Why would anyone want to leave their parents?" Tork mused out loud.

"I don't know, why would you want to join BloodClan?" He countered.

Tork flinched inwardly, his gaze fell on the still innocent kitten. "I joined to regain my memory." He flicked his ears, it hurt a bit. Before he started hunting last night he washed his head off in a pool of water nearby, uncovering a deep and painful claw wound on his head. Tork was still mystified by it. Mainly because the claw mark was just that, one claw. He knew that any animal would leave about three to four. _Could a badger have done it? Or a dog? _

"BloodClan is the scourge of the existence of cats Tork, Especially Blackblood and Scorch." The kit continued.

"Who is this Blackblood you kits keep mentioning? Lioness said she was a great fighter."

The kit smiled. "She visits, every now and then. She actually hunted for us before you came. She's one of Scorch's skilled fighters. She's better than Psycho but Psycho is older and he's male so Scorch likes him better." He padded over to the smallest tom, a black and white tom with green eyes. The black kit woke him up and took him outside quickly. Tork tilted his head in thought.

Tork watched how the kits began to stir one after the other. They had slept in a mass of warm kitten bodies with the youngest in the middle. _Do the other cats of BloodClan sleep this way?_

"Blackblood!" Tork jumped at the sound of his companion's excited mew. He poked his head out of the cleft to spot an attractive black she-cat with eyes the color of blood. He watched as she lowered her head to the kits' level to reveal a think stripe on her back that went all the way to her tail tip.

"Hello little ones. Are you making sure our little friend is waking up at night regularly?" She spoke with a very feminine voice that made Tork's tail vibrate.

"Yes, I'm making sure he wakes up to go at least twice every night Blackblood."

"That's good." She glanced at Tork, he hid like a kit in the cave as his charges scampered outside and over to the fighter. Who's your new friend? He's not a kit that's for sure."

"That's Tork, Scorch made him in charge of training us and giving us names."

Tork gave a long sigh, he padded out of the cave and over to the kits. "Hello Blackblood." He began. "My name is Tork, I can see these kits know you well."

"Of course they do," She narrowed her eyes at him. "I am their den mother. These are my children."

"Why do they have no names then?" Tork's tail twitched. It was clear she felt protective over them, she knew them well enough.

"They have names. Asteria, Crush, Zen, Honey, Judge, Smoke, Dutch, and Jasper." Blackblood spoke each name quickly and with passion. "They are mine and you will do well to treat them kindly."

"Blackblood," Lioness butted the black she-cat in her foreleg. "I like the name Tork gave me better. I like Lioness over Asteria."

"And Hunter over Jasper." Hunter told her quietly.

Tork watched the kits carefully, in his outer vision he noticed Blackblood glaring at him. "If I had known their names I would have kept them the same." He meowed quietly but sternly. "Very well, the rest of you can keep the names Blackblood has given you. I need to hunt for you six." His eyes trailed over to Blackblood once more. "Care to join me?" He offered politely.

"Not even if you were the last companion on Earth." She whispered quietly. "I'm staying here."

"Go with him." Tork spotted the brown tom with broken and shredded ears. "It makes sense to travel in a small group. If he misses any prey you can catch it behind him. Shorter time spent hunting and more time spent training."

"Judge, if Blackblood doesn't want to go, don't try to reason with her. She's nearly as stubborn as I am." The little black tom voiced. He brushed against the black and white tom. "Come on Smoke, let's go back to bed." He murmured and headed off into the cleft.

"That leaves Honey and Dutch and Zen and Crush." Tork muttered. He watched the last male. "You must be Zen correct?"

"Yes." He told him calmly. His silver eyes stared through Tork and chilled him to the bone.

"Don't be afraid Tork." The ginger she-kit soothed Tork. He was calmed by the little kit. He almost started to purr. "My name is Honey and that means she-" Honey pointed to the oldest she-cat. The little creamy white kit with dark tips."-is Dutch."

Something strange came out of Dutch's mouth at that moment. She didn't open her mouth, not entirely. It seemed to be some sort of chattering noise Tork blinked twice.

"What did you say?"

She made the strange noise again.

"Blackblood what is she doing?" Tork whispered.

"I think that's squirrel-talk." Blackblood's eyes were closed as if she was intently listening.

"Squirrel? Dutch is a squirrel?"

"No, I'm a cat." Dutch skipped closer to them. "I speak squirrel though. And badger, and fox, dog, horse, sheep, cow, bird, mouse, rabbit, dog-"

"Twoleg too!" Honey shouted and tackled her friend happily."

Tork's eyes were as round as the full moon. "Blackblood-"

"No, the rest of us can't speak like that." Zen started, he flicked a leaf scrap off his whiskers. "For instance Honey can make anything fall asleep."

Tork looked at Zen. _I didn't ask..._

"I know you didn't ask. I read minds." Zen looked at Blackblood. "And Lioness has no fear of anything, Smoke can disappear and sneak around, Hunter can-"

"That's enough Zen." Blackblood interrupted him. "Tork let's go hunting. Zen take the rest of you inside and stay there until we come back." She butted Tork towards the ferns. Once they were out of sight she stared him in the eyes. "You are not to say a word about this to anyone Tork. I mean it if you do I will kill you."

Tork was in a daze but now he was hanging on every word she spoke. "I promise I won't. I don't have anyone to repeat these things to. Can Dutch really speak twoleg?"

"Sometimes. She told me that twolegs have different dialects. Whatever that means. But you can't say anything to any cat. Not Psycho, not Scorch." Blackblood continued.

"I won't. I can't," Tork told her. "so what does Hunter and Crush do?"

"They don't _do _anything rat face!" She snarled. Blackblood calmed quickly. "Crush has the strength of a thousand monsters and Hunter can mimic anything anyone does."

"And Scorch doesn't know about this?" He asked innocently.

"No, I'm not sure anyway. He brought these kits together, all except Zen. Judge. Judge doesn't really have a _power_ is what I guess you can call them. Judge has no power. He's bitter about it too."

"Say no more please. I need to think about these things. Let's hunt." Tork purred a bit. "I promise I'll keep you secrets. I have no reason not to."

Blackblood looked at him, her red eyes brightened slightly. "Please protect them. They're destined for huge things-great things if I have anything to do about it. I can feel it in my whiskers Tork."

Tork felt a chilling breeze on his back, it made him shiver. Or was it the anticipation of training gifted cats? Tork wasn't sure. "Me too." He decided.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Kits<em>**

**_Males(Fighters)_**

**_Hunter~ light tabby tom with dark amber eyes. 6 moons old._**

**_**_Judge~ Brown tom with unusual blue eyes and very shredded ears. 4 moons old._**_**

**_**_**_Crush~ Black tom with blue eyes, cheerful. 3 moons old._**_**_**

**_**_**_**_Zen~ Silver and white tabby tom with light silver eyes. roughly 3 moons old._**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Smoke~ Black and white tom with green eyes. 2 moons old._**_**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Females(Huntresses)_**_**_**_**_**

_**_Dutch~ Almost white-cream colored she-cat with dark sandy paws, ear tips, and tail point. vivid green eyes. 5 moons old._**_

_**_**_Honey~ Ginger she-cat with bright green eyes and black paws. 3 moons old_**_**_

_**_**_Lioness~ Small white she-cat with blue eyes. 1 moon old_**_**_


	4. Insight, out of mind

Tork scraped together a rabbit he had found torn apart by some blackbirds, he sniffed at it. It smelled good enough for himself to eat as he put it in the small pile of game Blackblood and he had accumulated. "Blackblood, You said Zen wasn't brought here, can you explain how he was rounded in with the others?"

"Zen is Psycho's son. He was born to our last huntress." Blackblood appeared in a fern behind Tork, carrying a small shrew. "You met Psycho, I'm sure. He is always around Scorch."

"Did you imply that the Huntress is dead?" Tork counted the prey, he was sure that Honey was still too small to be eating solid meat.

"In a way." Blackblood's eyes dulled for a moment. "In BloodClan, it is against the law to bear kits without asking Scorchs permission. And if you have too less kits he takes them, if you have too many he takes the extra and kills them."

"Why is that?"

Blackblood padded over to a nearby ash tree and sharpened her claws on it. Tork could see thick, battle worn muscles under her sleek short fur. "Because he doesn't want any one family growing too powerful. Scorch knows that blood runs thicker than anything. He knows that if a certain line of blood becomes too great they might overthrow him."

Tork sat and rubbed a damp paw over his head wound. "Sounds like he's had the leadership experience of an elder. Why wasn't Psycho punished?" He picked up as much prey as he could carry.

Blackblood was left to carry three mice. "He is the tom's nephew. He has special privileges. In any case, the huntress was killed yesterday, and her kits first. Except Zen. Scorch noticed how Zen was a bit different than his siblings and kept him. Psycho doesn't care either way. I'm sure he wished he could have sunk his own teeth into the huntress." She picked up the mice.

Tork began to trot back to the rock. Tork let Blackblood pull ahead of him, she knew the forest better than he. As he walked he noticed how Blackblood's tail slowly moved from one side to the other. He also noticed how her ears were every so subtly nicked at the top, like someone nibbled on them roughly.

He was drawn out of his trance when Blackblood stopped, suddenly tense. "I smell fox." She hissed. Tork sniffed, all he could smell was the prey in his jaws. He spit it out and opened his jaws wide to taste. The rancid scent of fox bathed his tongue, he also scented something else. "The fox has one of the kits!" He whispered. He blinked and the ferns ahead shuddered, Blackblood's tail barely noticeable just behind them. He abandoned the prey and launched after her, kicking up leaf mold he dashed after her. quickly taking her over and just in time. He spotted the shredded ears of Judge as he was backed against the side of the rock. His back arched as he stood over A shivering ginger and red ball of fluff. _Honey! _

Tork felt his anger rise quickly. He felt a pain in his tail and mouth. Tork missed no step as he charged after the fox. It never saw him coming as he sank his teeth into its tail. It snarled and turned on him, Tork met the fanged face with a flurry of claws, he went for the eyes, cutting through the fox's eyelids and hearing it howl in pain as he cut it's eyes. He blinded the fox and sent it fleeing away. He quickly dashed after it, not letting the ginger beast out of his sight. Tork's insides burned, all except for his heart which was as cold as ice. His mind felt numb and angry. His vision blurred for a moment and he envisioned he forest growing shorter. He could see the fox, it looked like about his size now.

The fox turned its head to gaze at its pursuer. It turned and started weaving about in the undergrowth. Tork was no match for the foxes tricks. He cut it off and leaped at it with claws sharper than thorns. They tumbled right into a bramble bush. The bush's thorns ere no match against Tork's thick pelt. He felt the rage become greater and his mouth suddenly ached, he saw fear in the fox's beady black eyes. It suddenly changed to rage and it flipped him. Tork's vision grew black but he could still hear the sounds of fighting.

"Tork! Tork!"

The black tom opened his eyes, he tried to move but he couldn't. Too tired, he let himself collapse in a pile of blood and fur. Something cold was next to him, cold and wet. He couldn't see it.

"Tork!"

The voice grew louder now, it was just treelengths away. He tried to call out but his throat was dry, he could taste nothing but blood on his tongue. The ferns shivered as a fluffy black and white kitten appears, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Oh... Blackblood! Blackblood!" He called, his voice high and pitchy. "Blackblood I found him!" He disappeared again without moving. Tork could see ginger fur out of the corner of his eye. He tried to turn his head but couldn't.

Blackblood came through the ferns the kitten disappeared in, she had the look of horror on her muzzle. "Good job, Smoke. Round up the others. Oh.. their's so much blood..." She cautiously padded over to him, "Tork... can you move?"

Tork attempted to shake his head but couldn't. all he could do was blink his eyes.

Blackblood sniffed his pelt. "I can't tell if you're hurt, Tork. I need to clean you off. Tork, if the fox... Dead?"

Tork blinked rapidly, _what fox? _He tried to tilt his head a bit, finding his strength starting to return. He saw the ginger and black muzzle of a fox, it's felt was bloody and mangled. He could see deep cuts in its fur and its eyes were open, but gouged out. _Who did that? _He thought. Some of the memories from earlier came back to him. he remembered seeing Honey covered in blood, and then charging at the fox. That's it.

The kits appeared one by one around the bramble bush he lay in. it was trampled and its thorns stuck painfully to his pelt. "is Tork okay?" One asked. Tork spotted Hunter and Lioness, they stood side-by-side, the eldest tom glared with contempt at Tork. He couldn't see Honey.

"Where is Honey?" Tork asked, suddenly finding his voice.

Blackblood's eyes welled up, she looked away. "Not so good, Zen is with her, I had to come out and find you. She... she's lost a lot of blood. it'll be a miracle if she makes it through the night, or even if she wakes up."

"Is Judge okay?" Tork continued.

"I'm fine." The brown tom hissed, he sat the furthest away, next to a mangled clump of bracken.

Tork lifted his head, he carefully but quickly managed to stand on his paws. Blackblood's eyes were round like moons. He ignored it. Quickly following the smell of himself back to the rock. On the way he spotted paw prints, they all looked like fox prints. But some were more strange, they seemed to get smaller as he grew closer to the camp. He stumbled over a root and was surprised to find Blackblood catching him with a sturdy shoulder. He blinked a thanks and began setting off at a faster pace. He didn't realize Blackblood and the kits were following him.

Once Tork's head was clear of the ferns, he could see the chaos. The fox had some, trampling though the ferns nearest to the cleft in the rock. It had dragged Honey outside, then Judge must have gone after her, tried to protect her. Than Tork arrived, maybe. He wasn't so sure. The wound on his head was cold as snow. He peered into the cave and spotted Honey, her breathing was fast and shallow. Someone had cleaned the blood from her fur. He spotted Zen in the shadows just a tail length away from Honey. He was crouched and focused on the air in front of him, staring into nothing.

Zen looked up as Tork entered. "You are not hurt. Except for a few thorns." He quickly assessed. "Honey was gravely hurt. I do not think she will make it."

Tork crept closer, he noticed a small tang of a leaf that seemed familiar to him. It smelled bitter but pungent at the same time. Ignoring the scent he let his eyes focus on Honey's pelt. She had bite marks that littered her body. One was dangerously close to her throat. Tork closed his eyes and crept deep into his heart. Willing that she make it. He felt a cold chill stir in his heart. He found his jaws itching to end Honey's life, to end her suffering. Tork stood and walked out. He spotted Blackblood. Her eyes still round. "Are you okay Tork? You killed a fox."

"I'm not sure I killed that fox, Blackblood." He looked into the darkening sky. "Let's go find that prey we left behind."

"Smoke is on it all ready. I trust that if their is another fox out there they will not spot him."

Tork's ear twitched as a rustling in the ferns revealed a black tom with a collar studded with dog teeth. "Tork." The tom's voice held no emotion except cold contempt and a bit of amusement. "Come with me, we must talk."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Kits<em>**

**_Males(Fighters)_**

**_Hunter~ light tabby tom with dark amber eyes. 6 moons old._**

**_**_Judge~ Brown tom with unusual blue eyes and very shredded ears. 4 moons old._**_**

**_**_**_Crush~ Black tom with blue eyes, cheerful. 3 moons old._**_**_**

**_**_**_**_Zen~ Silver and white tabby tom with light silver eyes. roughly 3 moons old._**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Smoke~ Black and white tom with green eyes. 2 moons old._**_**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Females(Huntresses)_**_**_**_**_**

_**_Dutch~ Almost white-cream colored she-cat with dark sandy paws, ear tips, and tail point. vivid green eyes. 5 moons old._**_

_**_**_Honey~ Ginger she-cat with bright green eyes and black paws. 3 moons old_**_**_

_**_**_Lioness~ Small white she-cat with blue eyes. 1 moon old_**_**_


	5. Evidence

So I want to thank those who follow this story, I know it's a bit slow but that's because I want this story to last. I am currently working on either animating it or turning it into a comic book. In any case I would need a cover so if you have any ideas i would like that very much. ^^ So last chapter you witnessed Tork and Blackblood becaome just a tiny bit closer, this chapter you will hear more about his past and I may reveal Honey's fate. Stay awesome readers.

Kay bai.

* * *

><p>"Blackblood, what are you doing here? I thought I sent you fox hunting." Scorch's eyes narrowed, Blackblood stiffened.<p>

"You did, and I found one.."

Tork cleared his throat. "Yes, I was hunting for the kits when I heard it. I assisted in the kill."

Scorch's eyes slowly moved to Tork, he had no emotion in them, other than pure disdain. He wondered if it was because of all the blood. Tork licked his chest but the blood had been dried.

"I scent an injured kitten, Tork what happened?" Scorch asked, though he clearly held no interest.

"One of the females got the bitter end of a rabbit. Rest assured she will be well." He looked at the den, it was silent in there, a few small heads poked out of it, the kits must have gone inside."

Scorch looked around once more. He padded over to Tork and sniffed him, "are you injured? You smell... different, and it appears Blackblood assisted in the kill and you made the larger contribution." He narrowed his eyes at Blackblood. "I let you continue fighting because of your excellent skills, you have been shown up by a tom, a tom that barely even knows his name."

Blackblood flinched. "I-I was-"

Tork cleared his throat again. "Forgive me, Blackblood. I saw an opportunity to show off. After all if she can hunt, fight, and take down full grown foxes as well as I can then um..." He lowered his voice and whispered in Scorch's ear. "With our blood mixed you would have super-fighters on your paws!"

Scorch's eyes widened slightly, then returned to their narrow slits. "Blackblood, carry on. Tork, their are things I would like to discuss with you." He waited until Blackblood left before signaling Tork to follow him. "Show me the fox."

He nodded before taking the lead, he retraced his pawsteps, trodding on as many kitten paw prints he could. Tork held the ferns for Scorch as they came to the patch of brambles where the fox still lay. It's body mutilated by someone, Tork was still unsure who for he had blacked out and could not remember anything but hatred for the ginger animal. Tork's fur started to bristle as he remembered the image of Judge and Honey pinned against the rock, Judge's claws unsheathed, ready to spring into the fox's jaws to protect Honey. Tork looked up to see Scorch's eyes glaring at him. "You two did a number on this animal."

"Master Scorch!" Tork turned to see the black and white body of Psycho, he carried something in his jaws. It was red, though Tork was sure it was a different color at some point. Psycho walked up to them but stopped short. "What is that stench! It smells like a dead-"

"Fox, Tork killed it." Scorch's eyes were still narrow, and cold but it seemed for a heartbeat that Tork could see a slight gleam of pride in the toms eyes. He looked back at Psycho.

"Yes, well. I brought the collar you asked for." He dropped it before Scorch's paws. The tom looked at Tork with eyes so narrowed they were almost closed. It gave Tork a chill that nearly made him shiver. He let out a low warning growl at Psycho.

"Enough!" Scorch's voice quieted Tork, he continued without looking at either of them. "This collar belonged to an old clan member. But they are dead now and need no use for it." He looked up at Tork. "Wear it, so everyone will know who you are. You are my right paw, Tork. You train the future of my clan. and I give you rights to breed with any she-cat you wish." He paused for a long while. "Psycho, assist the tom in getting the collar on."

Psycho picked up the collar again and put it around Tork's muzzle, he got behind him and grabbed the collar before giving it a sharp tug. The collar fit loosely around his neck.

"Now you may take your first trophy." Scorch nodded to Psycho who pried open the foxes cold jaws. Tork walked up slowly to the animal. "Why does Blackblood have no collar? He asked out of curiosity.

"I have never deemed a female worthy of a collar, any she-cat spotted with one is either very stupid, or a fighter. Any cat spotted with a collar and is not a kittypet is a fighter. She-cats have two purposes, hunt and have kits." Psycho spat. Take out the fang."

Tork eyed the inside of the jaw, it smelled foul and was as dark as a moonless sky. He dug his claws under the largest tooth he could see and tugged, after some effort it came free. Tork held it in his jaws.

"Put it on your collar, Tork." Scorch told him, he voice was a little warmer, or was that Tork's imagination.

"I would rather gift it to you, Scorch." Tork dipped his head to he small tom. "You teeth look old and some are broken. Would it not be nice to have some new ones?"

Scorch's tail brushed the ground from one flank to the other slowly. He did this twenty times before nodding. "I do believe I am due for new trophies." He took the fang from Tork before turning and leaving Psycho and Tork alone.

"Stop that, Tork. I will end you." Psycho came into Tork's field of vision, he growled low. "You think you can just come in here and take away what I've worked moons for! I am the boss's favorite, he go-to tom got it? You are nothing but a-"

Tork glared at Psycho, he did not want to get off on the wrong paw but he did not want to have to deal with Psycho's possible antics. He knocked over the tom and snapped his teeth no more that three whisker's width away from the tom's face. "You listen to me, boy! I know what you did, I heard you broke clan law. Does Scorch even know what you did? I doubt it or he would have killed you on the spot. Now you listen here, I am more powerful that you could ever hope to become. Where did you get those teeth? Steal them? Be quiet and listen mangy rat. All i wish to do is my duty, all I want is to regain my memory and get the hell out of here. I couldn't care less what happens around here. Now you leave me alone or I will kill you and wear your fangs as trophies. That is not the tiniest bit of a threat, it's a promise." Tork stared at the tom, watching as his face turned from malicious to fearful in a heartbeat.

"let me go! Demon!" Psycho struggled free and took off like a rabbit through the forest. Tork looked behind him to see if anyone was there, but not even the birds chirped anymore. It chilled Tork's blood in the eerie silence. He turned and walked back, remembering a nearby stream he hunted at earlier in the day. He washed his pelt off and pulled a couple of thorns from his pelt. Tork looked at the sky and noticed that it was a half moon. He searched around the area where he had thought he dropped his prey and found it gone. Tork sniffed and scented no creatures that wanted the prey. He shrugged and returned home, the kits would have to go without prey tonight, he would get up in the morning and hunt early. Tork felt another chill down his spine and his head pounded.

**_Do you remember me?_**

**__**Tork strained his ears to listen again for that strange, ghostly voice but nothing came. He continued on the trail, scenting something a little off. He could smell himself, and Blackblood, but something a little different about his scent. It seemed to smell like ice or night. Tork shook his head and continued home, he must be imagining it. Perhaps the frost was coming. He thought about the strange headache, Tork stopped at the edge of the clearing and heard voices.

"Will Honey be all right Blackblood?"

"I don't know little one, eat your mouse."

Tork pushed his way through the ferns to see the prey he and Blackblood had hunted, she must have brought it back while Tork and Scorch were gone. He padded up to them, pelt still soaking wet from his stream bath. "Thanks," he told her, meaning the prey.

She pawed over the bits of the all ready half eaten rabbit he scavenged. "It's all that's left after letting the kits eat." She told him, her ears were flat against her head. "it's all right, Blackblood, you don't need to feel bad for eating before myself. Go on, take the rest. I'm too tired to eat, I'll hunt and eat in the morning." He went into the rock and noticed a mouse next to Honey. Zen was not inside. His belly hungered for the rodent but he kept his composure and resumed his place just inside the den near the entrance. The sandy ground was comfortable, though messy and sometimes went inside his nose. _After training, I'll have them help me collect moss for nests, Especially for Honey's nest. _He closed his eyes.

**Now, Tork. You must remember me.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Kits<em>**

**_Males(Fighters)_**

**_Hunter~ light tabby tom with dark amber eyes. 6 moons old._**

**_**_Judge~ Brown tom with unusual blue eyes and very shredded ears. 4 moons old._**_**

**_**_**_Crush~ Black tom with blue eyes, cheerful. 3 moons old._**_**_**

**_**_**_**_Zen~ Silver and white tabby tom with light silver eyes. roughly 3 moons old._**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Smoke~ Black and white tom with green eyes. 2 moons old._**_**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Females(Huntresses)_**_**_**_**_**

_**_Dutch~ Almost white-cream colored she-cat with dark sandy paws, ear tips, and tail point. vivid green eyes. 5 moons old._**_

_**_**_Honey~ Ginger she-cat with bright green eyes and black paws. 3 moons old_**_**_

_**_**_Lioness~ Small white she-cat with blue eyes. 1 moon old_**_**_


	6. Memories of Disaster

"Hello mister, who are you? Momma, do we know him?"

"Tork, this is your father."

_What am I looking at? Wait! She's talking about me! That little furball is me?_

"I could never be the father of tiny weaklings! You disgrace my name when you present me with balls of fur."

The little black kitten looked up, "momma, is he really our father, he says such mean things." He turned and looked at the cat who claimed no blood with him. "I don't want you as a father anyways! Mangy rat!" He tried to growl but he couldn't.

_Mother? She's so pretty..._

"Tork! Don't insult him like that. He is very respected. Please, take your sons and raise them in your clan. I have no one else to turn to."

"Son? What's going on?" A big pale brown tabby came over the rise just behind what the she-cat called little Tork's father. He bore many scars and his eyes held pale shades of yellow that screamed anger and sorrow. They turned hard when he spotted the group. "Who are they?" He narrowed his eyes at the bristling black kitten. Kitten Tork lashed his tail.

"Please, Claw! These are your sons! I cannot take care of them, please help them." Her voice screamed exhaustion and pain. Tork's heart lurched at the sound.

"No sons of mine are so small and... noisy."

"They will grow. Young she-cat my son here claims he does not share blood with your kittens, however, we will still take them with us. It would be an honor on your part to give them up. As you can all ready smell, we are a clan of only toms. Claw, take them to camp." His eyes closed briefly before narrowing at the black she-cat Tork knew as his mother.

"Mom, what's happening? Are the nice toms going to take us away?" The tabby next to The kitten Tork looked weak and tired.

_Who's that kit?_

The she-cat licked both the kitten's heads. "Listen to me, where they are taking you, you will grow up to be the strongest and the fastest. I need you to be brave, especially you Tork. Listen to me, I need you to take care of your little brother."

_I have a little brother? I wonder where he is now._

"I'll protect him mom, I promise."

_Hey! Don't leave her!_

Little Tork pushed his sickly brother to his paws and they followed the one called Claw over the rise that the larger tabby came from. He was only out of sight for a few heartbeats when he heard the piercing yowl of a she-cat fill the air.

"Mom!" Tork was swamped back into reality, he looked into the eyes of some confused and even frightened kittens. Tork's pelt was flushed hot. He licked his shoulder. "How is Honey?" He asked them.

"Honey's still sleeping, Zen said she's very sick." Hunter's tail whipped from one flank to the other. "We're hungry."

"Let me take care of Honey first. Dutch, lioness, come with me." Tork stood and shook the sand from his pelt, he felt a small twinge of pain where his head would used to be. "We'll gather some moss, Lioness can't be laying in the sand, it irritates the wounds."

"'Kay." Lioness weaved herself around the toms and stood in front of Tork, Dutch was right behind her.

"Blackblood stop by?" Tork inquired.

"I never left." Tork turned to face her, "You were screaming in your sleep, woke everyone up. In any case I'll take the girls hunting for moss, you need to train these cats. Scorch wants results and it looks to him like you aren't getting them for him." Blackblood's eyes were glossy and held some sort of hidden emotion Tork just could not read. She swept her tail to gather Dutch and Lioness before taking off. "Good luck!"

"Blackblood likes you." Zen looked up from Honey's limp body, it was still matted with blood, she needed a cleaning with water and moss.

"You shouldn't read minds Zen, at least the ones of those you care about." Tork licked his shoulder once more.

"I couldn't care either way." Zen whispered, Tork could just barely pick it up. For some reason it chilled his spine and made his fur prick.

"Come on out, we need to practice defensive moves." He stood and exited the cleft. "Hurry up, you're burning daylight."

Hunter was the first to come out, Zen was last. His eyes seemed to stare into Tork's heart, and he didn't like what he saw.

"Pair up! Judge with Crush, Zen with Smoke, and Hunter with me." He paused as the toms moved to stand with their partner. "Today we will learn the basic moves. How to deal with foes bigger than you. Hunter watch me." Tork crouched low and envisioned the fox from last night, he felt the hair on his neck stiffen as he remembered Judge hissing and clawing at it to protect Honey. He pushed the anger away to deal with later and bunched his hid legs before leaping high and then turning and clawing at the imaginary fox. "Just like that." He dropped to his paws and turned to look at the kits. "All right now it's your turns, try it. Each of you take turns with one another, sheathe your claws please, we don't need anymore injuries."

Tork watched the kits as they leaped and clawed at one another. He watched them for a long time before feeling something prod at his side. "Aren't you gonna watch me try it?" Hunter asked.

He blinked at the kit, "I thought you all ready knew it, I mean you watched me so you should know exactly without even practicing."

Hunter scowled, he turned his tail on Tork and retreated to the opposite side of camp. Tork turned to look at the kits, they were practicing hard.

"Sparring time, I want you all to stay in your pairs, keep claws sheathed and bites gentle. I'll come around and help you." Tork called out.

* * *

><p>"We're back!"<p>

Lioness came bounding through the ferns, a fat vole in her jaws.

Tork looked up, he was showing the toms the difference between a warning strike and an attacking strike when the she-cats returned. "Hello, Lioness did you catch that yourself?" He purred approvingly when she nodded. "Judge why don't you help them. I'm sure Blackblood has caught something good."

Blackblood strutted through the tall ferns, her eyes blinked as the sun shone directly through them. She carried four mice by their tails. Dutch was last, she carried a thrush by its wing. Blackblood walked past Tork and into the center of the clearing. She dropped the mice. "This is it I'm afraid, we tried our best but the scent of that rotting fox has driven most prey away."

"Blackbirds will come by tomorrow maybe. I'll go with you and we can catch them." Tork nodded to the kits, letting them go have a rest and eat. "No more training today, Blackblood you can distribute the prey and then we can go get moss." He regretted his last sentence. Tork wasn't her leader, he braced himself for sharp words.

"I've got it." Came her reply. It made Tork turn and blink, she blinked slowly at him. Perhaps it was a thank you for driving the fox away and killing it.

In any case Tork settled down without prey as Blackblood started, nearly every kit shared prey. Tork was glad for the feathers, he could use them for the nests. "Save the feathers Crush, I'll put them in Honey's nest." He suddenly remembered her state and crept inside. He nosed Honey's pelt. It was cold.

"Hunter come here!" Tork called for the small tom. When he came he bore the same scowl Tork had left him with.

"What?" He narrowed his eyes.

"I need you to keep Honey warm. She's alive, but barely. Keep her warm until I come back." Tork nosed her head, she gave a small whimper. He felt guilty for not checking up on her. She needed food and needed to wake up but until the latter happened Tork was powerless. He exited the cleft and approached Blackblood. "We need to get the moss and hurry back, Honey is in danger."

Blackblood nodded, she lead the way to a shady tree that was covered in moss. "We did some scouting and found this tree. It has so much moss, we could cover the entire den!"

Tork began to scrape moss away from the tree, Blackblood fell in step beside him. Silence crackled between them like fire. He ached to say something to her but didn't know what. Tork remembered his dream. "About-"

"Hey listen. Thank you for saving the kits yesterday, I know I'm being a she-cat when I say this but... I love the kits. I don't know what I would do if I lost any of them even the brittle ones Judge and Hunter." Blackblood kept her eyes fixated on the ground, her claws worked efficiently to gather up the soft plant.

"It's not a she-cat thing to say." Tork said after a long while. _She must be the only she-cat in the whole of BloodClan that fights like a tom. _"I've grown on these kits too. When I saw the fox-I don't know what came over me. I don't even remember the fight. I just remember getting angrier and angrier. Then cold." he sensed Blackblood's interest. "After that I don't remember, everything went black."

**Do you remember me? You must remember me.**

"What?" Tork looked at Blackblood. She returned a puzzled look.

"I said, thank you, but in this clan if you want to be someone, you need to be strong and to not have feelings." Blackblood scraped her moss together. "Come on, let's go."

Tork picked up his moss and pressed it into a large ball. He began to roll it back. "Blackblood, What is Psycho's problem? I know you've never seen it but he seems to have a problem with me."

Blackblood glanced at him. She didn't answer, her mouth was full of moss.

"I mean, he's been outright challenging my position with Scorch, even when I first met the toms in the forest. I've never seen him in my life." He paused and tried to think hard, the vision in his dream came back. The screaming of the she-cat still fresh in his ears. "At least I don't think I have ever met him."

Blackblood stopped, the were at the clearing's edge. She dropped her ball of moss. "You think? Tork wouldn't you remember meeting a tom like Psycho? He's pretty difficult to forget."

Tork stopped rolling his ball. "Well to tell you the truth I don't remember anything before meeting Scorch all except for my name, that is." He opted not to tell her about his memory dream, who knows if it was a memory or not. He pushed the moss through the ferns and into the den, Blackbloods pawsteps were like whispers behind him. Tork caught himself listening and paying especially attention to her movements. He paid so close attention he didn't hear the murmers and sobs inside the cave. When he came inside he saw the kits crouched around Honey's body.

"Kits, what is the matter?" Tork was confused. He looked back and saw the horrified look on Blackbloods muzzle. He turned to look at a very angry Smoke.

"Honey is gone! Psycho killed her!"

* * *

><p><strong><em>Kits<em>**

**_Males(Fighters)_**

**_Hunter~ light tabby tom with dark amber eyes. 6 moons old._**

**_**_Judge~ Brown tom with unusual blue eyes and very shredded ears. 4 moons old._**_**

**_**_**_Crush~ Black tom with blue eyes, cheerful. 3 moons old._**_**_**

**_**_**_**_Zen~ Silver and white tabby tom with light silver eyes. roughly 3 moons old._**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Smoke~ Black and white tom with green eyes. 2 moons old._**_**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Females(Huntresses)_**_**_**_**_**

_**_Dutch~ Almost white-cream colored she-cat with dark sandy paws, ear tips, and tail point. vivid green eyes. 5 moons old._**_

_**_**_Honey~ Ginger she-cat with bright green eyes and black paws. 3 moons old_**_**_

_**_**_Lioness~ Small white she-cat with blue eyes. 1 moon old_**_**_


	7. Death and Love

**_So, Honey died. Well that kind of sucks. But her death will arise the plot. Wahoo! I hope the followers/favoriters enjoy the cover I drew. It was a little quick but whatever. In any case i will link the comic once it's started being produced. Right now I'm looking for a partner in crime. If you can draw, that's pretty sweet you could help me. So if you like the story and would like a paw in producing it (some changes will be made) then just PM me. I could pay, maybe. But not in straight monies. at least not for a long while. In any case If I could just have someone even draw the lines I would do all coloring. But yeah, enjoy as the plot thickens and relationships bloom._**

* * *

><p>Tork turned to Blackblood, "Are you okay?" He asked. now he could scent it, fresh blood and death. He nosed Honey's body once before picking it up and carrying it outside. "No use keeping it stinking up the cave," he mumbled to himself as he traveled far from the camp. Blood still dripped from her body. He settled on a place just off an old rabbit trail to bury her.<p>

"Pity, isn't it?"

Tork looked up to see Psycho in a tree branch high above Torks head. Tork growled. "Why did you do it! She would have survived if you didn't kill her!"

Psycho leaped down from the tree. He landed nearly on top of Honey's body. "Maybe, maybe not. In any case," he dug his claws into the matted body of Honey. "This thing no longer your problem. In reality none of the she-cats are your problem anymore. Scorch has decided he only wants fighters. he has ordered me to dispose of the little she-kit monsters. Scorch wants _all _of the she-cats gone." Psycho purred with pleasure.

"You expect me to allow you to kill them? And Blackblood?" Tork unsheathed his claws, the growl in his throat deeper.

"Nope, I expect them to just drop like birds." Psycho laughed when a confused expression planted itself on Tork's face. "You see, I know I am no match for Blackblood, and if I get close to the kits Blackblood could very well kill me. So I've tapped into some resources of mine. I know my assets will take very good care of them. Blackblood included." An even louder purr erupted from Psycho's throat until it seemed like the whole forest was roaring and echoing his purr.

Tork's growl rose to almost a roar. He felt his muscles pulse with anger. Psycho's purr roared in his ears. "You... You murderer..." Tork charged at Psycho and thrust his body into the tom, tackling him and sending him crashing into the forest floor tail lengths away. He stood protectively over Honeys body. Tork left his claws throb as well as his jaws and tail. all of Torks ends seemed to ache with pain and power. "I'll kill you!" He snarled at Psycho. The black and white tom returned his statement with a look of horror on his face before everything went black again.

* * *

><p>Tork returned with mud and blood covering his body. It had started to rain while he was out. He padded into the den and flopped down in his spot near the entrance. Tork could barely move after he had woken up next to the cold body of Honey. He was bathed in blood but had no idea who's blood it was. Tork looked up to see Blackblood and the kits looking at him.<p>

"Tork... Honey..."

Tork didn't really know what to do, his muscles ached and screamed in protest as he sat up. "Honey is gone. I buried her under an oak tree in the forest." he looked away. "And... I saw Psycho." He decided he wasn't going to lie about it. Tork looked at them and noticed Hunter licking his flank, the scent of fresh blood hit Tork's nose. This made his teeth clamp tight on nothing. Psycho hurt one kit and killed another. Tork's eyes fell on his paws. "He was sent by Scorch. Scorch wants all the she-cats in the clan dead."

Tork heard Blackblood draw in a sharp breath. Tork cringed.

"Dutch, Lioness... We have to leave." Blackblood stood and nosed the two she-cats. "It's not safe here and I'm not letting you two die in this hell hole."

Tork watched the black she-cat. He marveled at her cool. If Tork held such an emotional attachment to this kits...

"I'll go with you." Tork didn't think about what he had said. "Blackblood... I can't train these kits to fight anymore."

Blackblood shook her head. "If Psycho is after these kits... and myself-I can't put you in harms way. And if these kits can't defend themselves, Scorch will kill them too."

"Psycho said that someone is all ready here. It wouldn't be safe for you to leave anyways. They'll just track you and hunt you down like prey." Tork blinked. "Wait, what happened when we left? Hunter, can you tell us what had happened?"

Hunter stopped licking his side and stared at Tork with narrowed amber eyes. "Well yeah, everyone was worried about Honey So I told them if they didn't go outside and train that she wouldn't get better. That they needed to be strong and train so that they could help too. They all went outside. Except for Zen, he took Honeys other flank to keep her warm."

"When did Psycho arrive?" Blackblood leaned in closer to Hunter, eager to hear about the small kits death.

"A little after you did. he was fast too, knocked Zen right out then came for Honey. I tried to defend her-I really did. But I didn't remember any of the moves Tork showed us! I never got the chance to do paw-to-paw combat like the others." He voice rose to a wail that frightened Smoke. "I'm a failure!"

Blackblood swept her tail across Hunters mouth and made soft cooing noises. "It's all right, you did the best you could Hunter."

Hunter sniffed before continuing. "After I saw him knock out Zen, he started coming at Honey. I tried to defend her but he clawed my side. It really hurt! Then he pushed me out of the way and stepped right on Honey's neck before biting her head! Then he-"

"Enough!" Tork growled sharply. He collapsed to the Earth again. "Let me rest... Blackblood don't leave. at least not just yet..." He saw Blackblood nod before his heavy eyelids gave in to fatigue.

* * *

><p><strong>So you don't remember me?<strong>

Tork felt cold, like he was in the middle or the first spring rainstorm. Tork tried to look around but everything was too dark. he couldn't even see his paw in front of his face.

**You must remember me, I'm the one who made you.**

"Father?" Tork called out. The voice was hoarse and dark. Tork felt a wave of heaviness crash over him. "Who are you?"

**I don't know. You promised to protect me, Tork. Protect me from_ him_. If he finds me he'll kill me. If he kills me, you die too and never see those kits or your mother again.**

"Mother? You know where she is?" Tork called out. "Where is my mother and brother?"

**You don't want to find your brother. At least, not yet. Sleep now my puppet, This new challenge will take it's toll on the body.**

"No, wait!" Tork tried to run towards the voice but it seemed everywhere now. "Who are you?" He called out.

**An old friend...**

"Tork. Tork!" Blackblood shook him awake, it was dark and the kits were sleeping. Blackblood's red eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

"What is it?" Tork stood, his muscles felt better.

"You were thrashing in your sleep again. Why?" Blackblood's eyes held concern.

Tork lashed his tail slowly. "Just a bad dream. Come with me outside." He stood and lead the way into the clearing. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect Honey, Blackblood." Tork sighed. "I tried."

**If only your father taught you how to heal.**

"Hmm?" Tork looked at Blackblood again. "I'm sorry I couldn't catch that."

"I didn't say anything." Blackblood stared at him. "What do you dream of? That makes you thrash around when you sleep?"

"Nothing, well I don't know." Tork looked at the moon, it was half full. The light turned everything silver. "Memories, I think." He saw that that piqued Blackblood's interest. He continued, "well, the first dream, I was sort of floating around and no one could see me. I saw a sort of exchange going on. Their were two toms and a she-cat. And two kits. One, I think, was myself. The other must have been my brother."

"Where is your family?" Blackblood inquired.

"I'm not sure. but the second dream-"

**Don't tell that mangy whore about me. If you do I cannot protect you or the kits.**

Tork cleared his throat. _Where did that voice come from? _"In the second dream everything was black, and I could hear voices but I couldn't find them." he looked at Blackblood. "And I think my mother is dead." he mewed.

"That's terrible." Blackblood looked away briefly. She looked back at him. "I'm... I'm kind of scared. I don't know how to protect Lioness or Dutch."

Tork's gaze was tired but he stifled a yawn before touching his tail tip to Blackbloods shoulder. "I'll help you. I won't let Psycho or anyone else harm a whisker on these kits. Even if Scorch commanded."

"Scorch wants us dead? That's impossible! I've done more than earn my place in BloodClan."

"I'm sure you did." Tork crouched and watched a beetle in the grass. "But I think is was because he wants unemotional fighters."

Blackblood crouched next to him. "What will we do?"

"Their are two things we can do, we can stand and fight with seven nearly helpless kits, or we can run."

"Would we make it?"

**No**

"I think so. After all these kits are special. They have powers that Scorch couldn't possibly know about." Tork's gaze fell on Blackblood's slim shape. "If we can get away and train them, they'll all be safe. And maybe we could come back and take over BloodClan, lead it the way it should be lead."

Blackblood's pelt rippled. "You think so? It would be safe, maybe. And fun for the kits. We could teach them both to hunt and fight. I could maybe have more kits. I-improve our ranks, you know."

"Maybe, that would be helpful. Come on, we'll gather some things tonight and then head off tomorrow night." Tork stood, his muscles no longer sore but stiff from staying in one place for a long period of time. He looked into the forest. For a heartbeat he thought he had seen a pair of eyes. Tork figured they were just a pair of owls eyes. For he heard a hoot from the distance. "We'll start with prey, stay within earshot of the cleft."

Blackblood nodded, she walked past Tork, he felt a tickling sensation as her whiskers touched his neck. Tork decided he would track down that owl, it must know where the prey is.

**be careful, Tork. Danger lurks in the best of hearts. You should know.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Kits<em>**

**_Hunter~ light tabby tom with dark amber eyes. 6 moons old._**

**_**_Judge~ Brown tom with unusual blue eyes and very shredded ears. 4 moons old._**_**

**_**_**_Crush~ Black tom with blue eyes, cheerful. 3 moons old._**_**_**

**_**_**_**_Zen~ Silver and white tabby tom with light silver eyes. roughly 3 moons old._**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Smoke~ Black and white tom with green eyes. 2 moons old._**_**_**_**_**

_**_Dutch~ Almost white-cream colored she-cat with dark sandy paws, ear tips, and tail tip. vivid green eyes. 5 moons old._**_

_**_**_Lioness~ Small white she-cat with blue eyes. 1 moon old_**_**_


	8. The Adventure has Just Begun

**_Psycho's intentions are clear, and Hunter's power has failed him. I wonder what happened between Tork and Psycho?_**

* * *

><p>"Tork!"<p>

Tork opened his eyes and suddenly figured out that he was dreaming. He spotted the little black kit from his first dream. Little Tork was bigger now, he looked promising. Tork could see hard muscles begin to form under the kit's pelt. He noticed a smaller tabby kit that stood close to him. Tork recognized him as his brother. The kit was only half the size of little Tork.

Little Tork lifted his head, Tork could see a haunted look in the kit's eyes. He looked as if he had stared death in the face and lost. The kitten's eyes changed into a hard, emotionless expression. "What is it, Thane?" He spoke as a dark silver tom approached the kits.

"I heard you abandoned your post. Tork you cannot count on your brother to keep your disobedience away from my ears." The tom's eyes were narrow slits or green. He nodded to the tabby before joining some other toms a tree length away. Little Tork turned to his companion.

"Fang! It wasn't me who left our post it was you! Why did you tell Thane Storm it was me?"

Fang looked up at Tork, he was just as angry. "Why does it matter? Everyone and their kin know that you will be taking Jierphal's place anyways. You've been wanting to leave me in the dust haven't you? That's precisely why you've been sneaking extra training while everyone sleeps."

"I have no clue what you are talking about, brother. You're a badger if you think I'll leave you." He attempted to touch his nose to the smaller kits ear but Fang withdrew sharply. Little Tork stared at him. "Mother told me to protect you and make you safe. I gave her a promise."

Fang glared at his brother and trotted off. Tork snarled inwardly at the kits foolishness. _I would tweak his tail for that._

**That's enough of that memory.**

Tork watched as the vision faded to black. He was in the darkness again. "Wait, what? Go back!" Tork tried to will the memory back. "Whoever you are bring the memory back! Bring them all back. I want to remember..."

**I don't think you do. But I will allow the memories to come back, in time. **

"Who are you?" Tork called. "How can you control my memories?"

**All in good time. Take heed of my words. The wild cat is not dead. Rest assured you will not die. Your death is not for a long while.**

Tork looked around, but all he could see was black, blacker than a fox's heart. "Did you kill the fox? Are you a god?"

**In a way, yes. We killed the fox, little one. You wanted it to pay. Little one let's stop talking for now. Wake up.**

Just like that Tork's eyes shot open. He was in the den. Blackblood's tail could be seen twitching in the moonlight of the entrance. She was keeping watch. Tork stood and padded next to her.

"It's almost morning." She mewed. Her voice was hard. But somehow soft, still.

"I noticed." The voice from his dream still rang in his ear. "The wild cat is not dead..." He murmured.

"Who's not dead?" Blackblood looked at him, her eyes pools of crimson.

**Don't tell her about me, she mustn't know yet. It's not time.**

Tork paused. "Just a thought, When I went to bury _Her_. I met Psycho, remember? I attacked him. I am unsure what happened after that but I didn't see him and I was covered in blood. I was just thinking that he could very well be alive. I didn't see his body."

Blackblood nodded but her gaze was on the rising sun. "We better get them up, and fed."

Tork nodded and woke each kit silently. Waking Hunter lastly. "Eat, then pick up what you can, we're leaving today." He instructed each cat. Making sure Blackblood ate. He was about to distribute the prey again for the kits and himself to carry but Blackblood stopped him.

"You eat and rest. You haven't eaten since ever and you're beginning to look thin." She pawed over the owl they had taken down together. "Eat." She told him sternly. Tork bent down and began to consume the bird. It was not as big as he thought, and he ate it all. After the first bite he realized how hungry he was. He devoured half the bird and gave a purr of thanks to Blackblood. "I had not known how hungry I was until then." He looked at his paws and the bird. "Are you still hungry? That was a small mouse."

Blackblood bent over and started to eat. Tork watched as the kits finished eating and fall into place in front of Tork. Blackblood finished shortly and came up beside him.

"Tork, we should head this way." She pointed with her nose towards the rising sun. "It's in the opposite direction of BloodClan's main camp."

"Then we'll head away from the sun." Tork told her, "towards the camp. Scorch and Psycho will least expect us to go towards the camp." He noticed Blackblood flinch a little at Psycho's name. "He'll never expect that we're going there. We can slip past them if we're quiet." He raised his voice so the kits could hear. They stared at him blankly, except Zen who stared inside the toms mind. Tork watched for a moment as his eyes turned from focused to frightened quickly. Zen began to focus on something else. Tork looked at Blackblood. "Let's go. You up front followed by Hunter and Smoke. Crush and Judge will be with me. Zen can stay in the center along with Lioness and Dutch." He gave one last look at the prey. "Leave it, if we get caught, it'll only hold us down."

Tork waited for the kits to get to their respective positions before continuing. He told Blackblood to take them in a wide girth around the camp. Making sure that she knew exactly where they were going. He watched as Crush and Judge both walked on his flanks. Tork decided now was as good a time as ever to ask some questions. "Crush," he chose the more open one, "Where did you come from? Who brought you to BloodClan?"

"Psycho did. He tricked me." Crush looked up at Tork, the tom's blue eyes swam with emotions unknown to Tork.

"How did he trick you?" Tork inquired.

"Well one morning, he came to my mother. Their was just me, her and my sister." Crush paused for a moment, he batted at a leaf. "Psycho brought us prey, he said he loved kits and that my mother was very brave. He told us about BloodClan, he said that they were really close and killed kits for sport. Then he said that he would take us somewhere safe, so we wouldn't have to be in danger. Mom agreed. She carried my little sister, Psycho took me. He and I were faster than mother. Mother and my sister got left behind. He said he would come back for them but... I haven't seen them since."

"How long ago was that?"

"Two moons ago." Judge interrupted. He glared at Crush briefly. "Tork, I'm not going to tell you my story." He had all ready guess Tork's intentions.

Tork thought for a moment. "You came on your own accord." He started blatantly.

Judge didn't answer. He ran up next to Lioness who sparked up a conversation between them. Tork looked at Crush. "Can you tell me about the others?" He asked.

Crush nodded. "But Just about Smoke, Zen, and Lioness. The rest I don't know about, they don't like to talk about it."

"Tell me about Smoke then."

"Smoke was born in BloodClan. But Psycho and Scorch didn't approve. They brought Smoke here just after he was able to live off prey. Scorch kept saying how difficult it was to find the kit. and Psycho said that it was too much trouble. Then Scorch got really mad at Psycho and they left." Crush kept his gaze to the ground.

"Why is he so nervous?"

"Bad dreams I guess. He was covered in blood when he got here. We didn't even know what color his pelt was until Blackblood cleaned him off. Sometimes, if he doesn't get up early in the morning for a walk, he'll disappear and it takes a long time to find him. I guess he gets scared and hides. Once Blackblood found him wailing at the top of an oak tree."

"Can you tell me about Lioness now?"

"Lioness wandered here when she was barely able to walk. Scorch let her stay because when he went to kill her she didn't flinch. He said she was either very stupid or very brave. I think it's both."

"And Zen?"

"Zen?" Though Tork all ready knew the story.

"Psycho's son. Zen is different than Psycho. Psycho seems to have no problem with bloodying his paws. Zen hates blood. He hates the injured. I know that Psycho doesn't like Zen at all. He didn't like any of his kits. Or the huntress who bore his offspring." Crush yawned.

"Go up ahead with the others, I can keep watch here." Tork waited for the top to go before focusing on his own thoughts. _Zen is the opposite of Psycho..._

__**Their's a traitor among us. He tells the wild one of whatever you plan.**

_How? They are all orphans, except Zen. Is he the traitor?_

__The voice was silent. Was that a yes? Tork pondered this quietly. He thought about the kits that could possibly be traitors. All he could come up with were Zen and Judge. He had ruled out Hunter because of Hunter's wound. It was clearly caused by another cat. _But Judge tried to protect Honey when the fox had her!_ Tork's head began to hurt as he tried to make sense of it. Tork looked up an noticed his pack was far ahead of him. He had to do a bit of running to catch up. Blackblood had the kits stopped for a rest. They all looked a bit tired. Tork went over to sit next to her.

"Crush told me about Lioness, Smoke, and himself." He started.

"If you wanted to know, you could have asked me." Blackblood blinked at him. "I all ready told you about Zen."

Tork remembered what Zen told him about Blackblood. He pushed it aside. "Zen likes to read everyone's minds. He tries to read mine often, but something keeps him from it."

"Perhaps it's your memory loss. Maybe he can't access what's all ready locked away." Blackblood watched the kits closely.

"Perhaps." Tork agreed. he drew his tongue over his shoulder. "How far until we're clear of BloodClan?"

"It'll take all day. And the kits will be hungry." Blackblood frowned.

"Hunter knows how to hunt. We'll start taking him hunting with us. and we'll teach the rest in good time." Tork promised. "We'll start our own clan."

"What would we call this clan?" Blackblood asked.

Tork thought for a moment, he didn't know what to call it. He looked at Blackblood and let out a short purr. "SoulClan. I think that represents us well."

"SoulClan..." Blackblood twitched her whiskers. "I like it. We are SoulClan. We are intent on bringing down BloodClan's reign once and for all."

"We will. In time." Tork promised. "You will have kits which will swell our ranks. and these kits will all learn to hunt, and fight better than BloodClan can ever hope to be Especially Dutch and Lioness. Scorch will be sorry that he ever gave the word to have them killed." Tork looked at Blackblood. She gave him a look of joy and hope. Blackblood leaned against his shoulder.

"Thank you."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Kits<em>**

**_Hunter~ light tabby tom with dark amber eyes. 6 moons old._**

**_**_Judge~ Brown tom with unusual blue eyes and very shredded ears. 4 moons old._**_**

**_**_**_Crush~ Black tom with blue eyes, cheerful. 3 moons old._**_**_**

**_**_**_**_Zen~ Silver and white tabby tom with light silver eyes. roughly 3 moons old._**_**_**_**

**_**_**_**_**_Smoke~ Black and white tom with green eyes. 2 moons old._**_**_**_**_**

_**_Dutch~ Almost white-cream colored she-cat with dark sandy paws, ear tips, and tail tip. vivid green eyes. 5 moons old._**_

_**_**_Lioness~ Small white she-cat with blue eyes. 1 moon old_**_**_


End file.
